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Friday, May 23, 2008

Selangor state to go all out to undo wastage - The Star

May 23, 2008 By ELAN PERUMAL, LIM CHIA YING and JADE CHAN at the Selangor State Assembly in Shah Alam

THE Selangor Government has pledged to do its best to rehabilitate and rescue projects that have become white elephants and underused.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said all the projects were inherited from the previous Barisan Nasional-led state government, and it would not be easy to undo all the wastage.

Khalid said during a break at the state assembly that as millions of ringgit had been spent on them, the projects must be salvaged to minimise wastage of public funds.

He was commenting on the front-page story of StarMetro yesterday on mega projects that were underused or abandoned in the state.

Under the heading Massive Wastage, the report said that some mega projects in Selangor amounting to more than RM600mil had become white elephants.

Khalid said property, housing and maintenance committee chairman Iskandar Abdul Samad had been asked to conduct a study on the projects.

“He will have to come up with proposals in order to make good use of these abandoned facilities,” Khalid said.

“We have to do the same with the unsuccessful projects as we cannot just wash our hands,” he said.

On mega projects that have been proposed by the previous state government, Khalid said all such development would be reviewed.

During the question and answer session at the assembly earlier, Khalid had said that the previous state government had taken high risk by implementing development on state land via joint venture projects with private developers.

He said more than 3,000ha of state land had been taken up by private developers for implementation of projects worth RM35bil.

“Thee projects were approved in a rather strange way in which the power of attorney was been given to the developers which means the land would become theirs even if the projects failed,” he said.

“The sad thing is that although the projects are expected to generate RM35bil, the state government gets a revenue of only RM1bil,” he said.

Meanwhile, during the debate on the royal address by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, Ng Suee Lim (DAP-Sekinchan) said the previous government wasted a lot money on projects which later became white elephants such as the Marine Park at Kampung Sungai Dorani in Sungai Panjang.

“The Marine Park at Sungai Panjang is a waste of taxpayers money because there is hardly anybody visiting the place. The cost of the project has ballooned from RM10mil to RM21mil,” Ng said.

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Roles and responsibilities of councillors

Roles and responsibilities of councillors

As part of the local council administrative system, councillors carry these roles and responsibilities.

As a committee member who makes decisions on approval for applications like planning, development, and licensing. Yet at the same time their actions should not be contradictory and against the policy decided upon by the local council for the public interest.

To advice the local government on matters relevant to their expertise and profession

To represent the people and the local community in matters pertaining to their living condition at the respective local council.

As a mediator between the community and the local council and to serve as the patron for their residents association.

To relay the feedback and response given by the local community on the quality of service given by the local council.

To be policy and decision makers. To draw a set of local by-laws as a guide for administrative purposes in solving the local issues and on how to give best service to the people.

To draw the policy to determine the direction of the local council and the direction has to augur well with the state and central government’s policies and at the same time meet what the people want.

As spokesman for the local council to ensure that policies drawn at the local authority are accepted by the local community.

To get a response from the community if there is any abuse of misuse of power or funds by the local council.

To encourage public participation on activities and programs organised by the local council.

Appointment of the councillors

The Local Government Act 1976

Section 10 (1) - the local authority shall consist of the mayor or president and not less than eight not more than 24 other councillors to be appointed by the state authority.

residing in the respective local council

Have wide experience and knowledge in local government affairs

Achieved distinction in any profession, commerceor industry

Able to represent the interest of the community they are serving

Editor’s Note: If you have any comments or views on this issue of councillors, please write to us at metro@thestar.com.my.